The present invention relates to an apparatus for ironing a textile material placed on a base support, with an air stream generated by a fan and directed via a duct to at least one discharge port in a soleplate of an ironing device exiting from said soleplate.
An iron is known from German laid-open print No. 22 24 780 discloses a compressor generating a stream of air. On the bottom side of the iron's sole, discharge ports for the air stream are provided at the edge thereof. The air stream generated by the compressor propagates through ducts in the iron which heat up the air stream. The stream of hot air exiting from the discharge ports is deflected by the textile material placed on the base support, it flows in all directions radially away from the iron and serves to dry and smooth the textile material to be ironed. Hence, the hot air is distributed along the iron's contour. As the hot air streams out of the discharge ports it impinges with high pressure vertically on the textile material to be ironed, simultaneously, there is achieved an effect of the heavy iron being relieved of load due to reduction of the sliding friction, with some contact still being maintained between the iron's sole and the material.
With the relief effect of the iron--due to the air stream exiting vertically downwardly solely from the lateral discharge ports--the contact between the heated iron sole and the textile material being ironed is impaired. That means, the advantage that is possibly gained by the drying effect of the stream of hot air is lessened by the reduced pressure the iron's sole exerts on the textile material. Therefore, the iron disclosed in German laid-open print No. 22 24 780 requires considerably higher quantities of energy for ironing than any conventional iron.
Further, an iron containing discharge ports in the iron's sole is known from Japanese utility model No. 48-21008. Emanating from the discharge ports is hot air which is generated by a heater fan in the interior of the iron. Additionally, said iron is provided with a discharge port for the hot air allowing to use the iron as a hair dryer. This prior-art iron has a very complicated design.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to devise a method and apparatus which permits the ironing process to be carried out in a fashion saving considerably more energy and treating the textile material being ironed more carefully, and which allows to be implemented by virtue of an easily managable device.